Cloud-based Infrastructure Analytics Startup Nodeable Raises $2 Mln

Posted on July 27, 2011
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Nodeable, provider of a cloud-based social platform for systems data, has raised $2 million Series A funding led by True Ventures. Nodeable applies social mechanics to systems data, allowing users to interact with cloud infrastructure and disparate data sources just as they do with users on social networks. Powered by big data analytics, the Nodeable platform unlocks intelligence from data sources to help IT staff make better decisions faster. Nodeable’s open API is designed to complement and work with other systems management tools and a wide range of different data sources.

Biofuel Market: Gevo Announces New Milestones

Posted on May 6, 2011
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Gevo, Inc. (NASDAQ: GEVO), a renewable chemicals and advanced biofuels company, today announced upcoming milestones:

Amyris’s First Commercial Farnesene Production Facility Complete and Operational

Posted on April 29, 2011
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Amyris, Inc. (NASDAQ: AMRS) announced the completion of the first industrial-scale facility for the production of renewable farnesene.

“The completion of our first Biofene production facility is a landmark not only for Amyris but also for the renewable products sector,” said John Melo, CEO of Amyris. “With this milestone, we are demonstrating that engineered yeast may be used to produce high-value hydrocarbon molecules on a commercial scale.”

New biofuel report released - Global Biofuel Production Forecast 2015-2020

Amyris feeds sugar cane syrup into three dedicated 200,000 liter fermentors containing Amyris proprietary yeast. The yeast digest the syrup feedstock and produce farnesene, which is then separated and purified. Biofene may then be sold directly into industrial applications or put through simple chemical finishing steps to form a broad range of renewable products including squalane, base oil and finished lubricants and diesel.

To achieve production at full industrial scale, Amyris has developed an integrated scale-up process which connects ongoing advances in Amyris research with industrial-scale production. By miniaturizing process conditions found in production-scale fermentors, Amyris has been able to translate yeast performance successfully from discovery to production. Amyris further controls scale-up by testing performance in its pilot plant in Emeryville, Calif., followed by vetting in a second pilot plant and a demonstration facility in Amyris’s operations in Campinas, Brazil. Earlier this year, Amyris tested its yeast strains and process in several runs at 100,000 and 200,000 liter scale and generated results that were consistent with previous runs at smaller scale.

Instructure Canvas, Education Learning Management Developer, Raises $8 Million

Posted on April 16, 2011
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Instructure Canvas, the startup developing the open source education learning management system (LMS), has closed $8 million in a Series B round of financing led by OpenView Venture Partners, EPIC Ventures, TomorrowVenutres and Tim Draper of Draper Fisher Jurveston. In the beginning of this year, Instructure announced the availability of Canvas as open source. Since then, thousands of schools districts and universities have begun evaluating Canvas and engaged Instructure in their plans to transition their existing LMS solutions. Today the company is servicing more than 30 educational institutions, the majority of which have switched from Blackboard (NASDAQ: BBBB) to Canvas.

Founded in 2008 by two Computer Science graduate students, Canvas is Instructure’s cloud-based learning management system. The major difference between Canvas and other learning management systems is its usability and architecture. It streamlines standard LMS features like the integrated gradebook, assessment tools, discussions, multiple assignment submission types, rubrics and web chat. Canvas leverages the leading edge of web technologies by embracing features such as drag-and-drop file uploads, HTML5 video and automatic speech-to-text conversion. It also integrates with popular Web 2.0 tools and social media platforms like Google Docs and Facebook. When a teacher changes the date of a quiz, for example, the system automatically sends a text message to students who want notifications sent to their phone, a Facebook message to students who want notifications sent to their social network or a simple email message to students who prefer email.

Ultracapacitior Manufacturer Ioxus Raises $21 Million

Posted on April 15, 2011
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Ioxus, Inc., a manufacturer of high performance ultracapacitor technology, has received a total of $21 million from Energy Technology Ventures (a GE-NRG Energy-ConocoPhillips joint venture), Northwater Capital through its Northwater Intellectual Property Fund, Aster Capital (representing Alstom, Schneider Electric and Rhodia) and return investor Braemar Energy Ventures. Ioxus will use this funding to develop its technology and expand sales, marketing and manufacturing to meet the growing demand for ultracapacitors.

Ultracapacitors are electronic components that excel at releasing and absorbing bursts of high power for short periods over many more charge and discharge cycles than batteries. When paired with batteries, ultracapacitors provide peak power, such as for hybrid electric vehicles to capture energy during braking. Ultracapacitors help temporarily store intermittent energy produced by solar, wind and wave energy projects, and they deliver the power to the grid when needed.

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